The Stettler and District Ag. Society Junior Rodeo Series has wrapped after another successful summer.
A summer staple for youth over the last decade, the Stettler and District Ag. Society runs the Junior Rodeo series around every two weeks on Tuesday evenings during July and August.
Split into three different age categories, events vary a little between them but focus on core rodeo skills like roping and barrel racing.
“Lots of kids from the area come out,” said Christine Ross, one of the organizers.
The groups are split into the six to nine-year-old bracket, 10-13-year-old bracket, and 13-19-year-old bracket and in addition to the local youth, competitors come from Coronation, Strathmore, Ponoka and Caroline.
“There’s lots of kids,” said Ross, noting that depending on the evening there can be up to 30 kids in each group.
According to Ross, the Stettler and District Ag. Society hosts the junior series to “promote rodeo in youth.”
“Stettler Ag. tries to host as many (agricultural) events as we can to try and keep an interest in agriculture in the community,” said Ross.
As already noted, events do vary a little depending on the age group; all ages participate in barrel racing, pole bending, breakaway roping, and girls’ goat tying while the younger groups have boys’ goat tying and the older group has tie-down roping.
Points were accumulated over the season and at the end of each age bracket at the Aug. 22 finals awards were handed out.
For more information on what’s happening at the Stettler and District Ag. Society, find them on Facebook or call them at 403-742-6288.
Got him! Breakaway roping is one of a few events youth take part in as part of the Junior Rodeo Series. (Kevin Sabo/Stettler Independent)
